


After the Quantum Jump

by skidblast



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Lost Light, Death, Gen, MTMTE 33 spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-25
Updated: 2014-09-25
Packaged: 2018-02-18 19:03:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2358905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skidblast/pseuds/skidblast
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On the Lost Light, the Sparkeater claimed its last victim, and Drift has his inner struggle to go through after losing his closest friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	After the Quantum Jump

**Author's Note:**

> Huge MTMTE #33 spoilers ahead.
> 
> Also this isn't well written anyway but I wanted to get this done so I can focus on other stuff.

It was the silence that told Drift something had gone terribly wrong.

Of course the quantum engines were whining loud because they had just quantum jumped. But there was no other sound other than those. Drift just stared at the scene before him. The Sparkeater was no more, that was clear. It was wholly in the engines of the Lost Light. Shock, or was it Ore? was still also stuck in the engines.

And now Drift knew from the beginning that a third victim had been claimed. The silence that he was despairing in was the silence of a yell of effort being cut off before it could be finished. Right when it had changed to a cry of desperation as Rodimus couldn't get away from the engines. Had he known? Had he known he would end up in the engines as well.

Drift ignored Animus who was thankfully not saying anything, just staying behind Rodimus. Drift walked over to the quantum engines, looking at Rodimus' face, or at least the part he could see. The mouth was locked in a wide visage of desperation and terror.

"Ratchet! Get down to the engine rooms right now!" Drift called on the comm.

Few agonizing minutes passed before the white-and-red mech entered, followed by Ultra Magnus. Both of them were dumbstruck as they saw just why Drift had called Ratchet over. Ratchet had planned to tell Drift off for calling him while he was dealing with the crash victims, but seeing Rodimus' frozen scream as stuck in the engines struck him hard. He didn't even have to look at Drift to know how he looked. Drift had done everything for Rodimus, even bought that ship that had doomed him.

Ratchet did a quick check on Rodimus, scanning him and probing him with his tools. He saw Drift looking at him expectantly, even though both of them knew what had happened.

"He's dead." Ratchet said. "Part of his brain module is on the other side of this panel and the removal triggered spark failure."

"Can't you do something? Revive him?" Drift hurridly asked. 

"No." Ratchet shook his head. "There is no saving him."

===============================

"Spectralist." Drift said.

"I don't know what game you're pulling but I do know that Rodimus was not a Spectralist." Ultra Magnus said. "I know its practices, and I know he didn't perform them. He'll have the standard Trandsition Act."

"I was teaching him, converting him." Drift said. "He was receptive to my ideas, look, few more months and he would have been one. Ever since Vector Sigma, we've talked. We've learned from each other."

"And you believe you're qualified enough to know what he would have wanted?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"Yes." Drift nodded. "Give me this, please."

"Once we've made sure we can remove the engine casing without compromising the engines themselves." Ultra Magnus said. Drift was a bit shocked to know that Ultra Magnus knew of a Spectralist funeral rites, but he accepted it. He knew who on board could do such a delicate operation, and he quickly went about getting those engineers together. There weren't that many fighters on board the Lost Light, but at least the ship could be badly damaged and be repaired with willpower alone from the crew on board.

===============================

Drift entered the quiet medibay. Apparently Ratchet had finished patching everyone up and those who had been badly injured were now recovering. It was amazing what Ratchet could still do even though his hands were failing him. Only two had died in the explosion.

"How's Rung?" Drift asked as he noticed the orange bot on a slab, unresponsive.

"He'll live." Ratchet said. "Few more cycles before I can bring him out of it and check if he mentally checks out."

"That long?" Drift asked. "I was hoping to talk to him."

"I didn't think you were one of those that needed his help." Ratchet said.

"Ex-decepticon. Almost killed myself in a stupid self-sacrifice." Drift smiled. "Rung told me he wanted to see me once the Lost Light was underway. I told him I had other duties than to entertain his curiosity."

"And now?" Ratchet asked.

"And now Rodimus is gunmetal gray." Drift answered. "Did you know that Ironhide had a vision during the Chaos event?"

Ratchet furrowed his brows as he processed what Drift was saying. It was a change in conversation that had not been subtle at all. "I know." Ratchet said. "Hard not to miss."

"I had a vision as well." Drift said, only to be met with a frustrated groan from Ratchet. "And that's why I didn't say anything until now." Drift continued.

"If I hadn't known you were Forged I would have assumed you were MTO now. Mystical experiences-" Ratchet seemingly spat out.

"Look, I have to talk to someone about this." Drift said. "I don't care if you don't believe me, I've not told anyone else and with Rodimus dead -"

"Of course." Ratchet nodded. "I'm sorry. Do continue." His body language immediately shifted, going into a more caring mode as he considered Drift one of his patients, one who clearly needed help. Ratchet briefly entertained the idea of learning from Rung, that when his hands finally gave up he would still be able to help, but in a different way.

"Thank you. It was either you or Perceptor and you know he wouldn't help me one bit." Drift said. "My vision was frightening." He said. "What I saw what the doom of not only Cybertron, but of the world. Well, not quite a vision but more abstract thing, something that told me what would happen. And it showed me that the world is going to end if we don't find the Knights of Cybertron, and Rodimus is the only one who can find the Knights."

"You were right, I'm not believing this." Ratchet said. "But Drift, you have to know that once the idea comes to peoples' minds there is no stopping it. People will search for the Knights, and even if Ultra Magnus might change our course there will be no stopping others. We have the map still, even though we don't have a matrixbearer anymore. I've seen many things, many horrible things. But the most important thing of all, I've seen everything working out. Even our four million year war is over."

"Thanks." Drift said, though he was far from convinced. He knew that Rodimus was the one who needed to lead the search for the Knights of Cybertron. He didn't know why that had to be or how he knew it.

And now he had to preside over his friend's funeral. Rodimus was dead, the future was grim. But now he had the chance to fix one mistake Rodimus shouldn't have done. There was something in the basement that everyone had to know about.


End file.
